Electrical switch



Patented Jan. 1s, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

The invention relates to electric switches and more particularly it relates to an electric switch comprising an actuating member having a fluid contact making and breaking member mounted 5 thereon, said actuating member being operated by a handle suitably mounted on a support.

An object of the invention is to provide a manually operated electrical switch having operating parts which are so constructed and arranged as to eliminate noises in the operation thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a manually operated electrical switch which is inexpensive to manufacture, durable, satisfactory for its intended purpose and comprises simple operating parts which may be readily assembled or disassembled.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the device as it appears when mounted upon an outlet box or the wall of a' cabinet or the like;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line 2-2 of Fig. 3, showing the switch in circuit breaking position;

of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the switch in position to close the circuit.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the device comprises a mounting plate or face plate Ill shown as secured to an ordinary outlet box II as by means of screws or the like I2. A housing I3 open at both ends is mounted on and has one side wall fastened to the inner -face of the plate I0 by any suitable means such as welding or the like. through the plate I0 and the adjacent wall of the housing I3, is rotatable by a handle or thumb piece I5 to manipulate a bar I6 mounted on and rotatable with the shaft. A fluid contactor switch is mounted on the bar I6 and tiltable by the rotation'of the bar resulting from the manipulation of the thumb piece I5.

The contactor is of the usual type comprising a sealed container or tube Il having a pair of conductors I8 and I9 terminating in' spaced relation to provide electrodes at one end thereof and a. body of current conducting liquid 20, such as mercury, disposed therein to bridge or ow away Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 A shaft I4, extending from the electrodes thereby making or breaking an electric circuit therethrough. v

The other ends of the conductors I8 and I9 are respectively connected with binding posts 23 and 24 suitably mounted on the housing I3. In the operation of the switch when it is desired to make an electric circuit therethrough, the thumb piece or operating handle I5 is rotated from' its full line position to its dotted line position of Fig. 1, thereby tilting the contactor tube Il from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 4, wherein the contacting uid 20 bridges the electrodes I8 and I9.

Conversely, when it is desired to open or break the circuit therethrough, the handle I5 is turned to its full line position wherein the tube I1 is positioned as shown in Fig. 2 and the conducting iiuid 20 flows away from the electrodes.

The permissible rotation or oscillation of the tube I1 is controlled by a pin 2I mounted on the plate Ill and projecting through an arcuate slot 22 provided in the bar I6. The pin 2| occupies one end of the slot 22 when the handle I5 is in its full line position andy is in the other end of the slot when the handle is moved to the dotted line position corresponding to the circuit closing position of the tube Il. A sleeve 2l of rubber or similar cushioning material mounted on the pin 2| prevents direct contact of the pin with the Walls of the slot 22.

A resilient friction member 25, shown in the drawing as a relatively thick split ring or washer oppositely bent at its ends and encircling the shaft I4, is positioned between and has bearing contact with the bar I6 and the contiguous side wall of the housing I3. The handle I5 is rigidly fastened to the shaft I4 by a pin 26 and the spring member 25 exerts a constant pull on the shaft I4 tending to keep the hub portion of the handle in pressure contact with the outside face of the plate I0. The frictional contact of the handle I5 with the plate I0 as well as the contact of the member 25 with the adjacent face of the plate I0 and of the bar I6 tends to retardrotation of the shaft I4 in either direction. The cushion sleeve 21 on the pin 2I and the described frictional resistance of the shaft to rotation cooperate to permit actuation of the device without any noticeable sound.

'I'he device, therefore, is noiseless in operation, simple in construction, and is adapted for use for any purpose wherein it is desirable that a switch be operated in a noiseless manner.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an electric switch mechanism, a wall plate, a shaft rotatably mounted on the wall plate, a liquid ow switch, a plate flxedly mounted on said shaft in proximity to the wall plate and providing a support for said switch, said supporting member providing an arcuate slot, a pin projecting from said wall plate into said slot to provide a. stop limiting the oscillation of said supporting member, said switch being respectively in open and closed positions when said pin is positioned at opposite ends of said slot, a. sleeve of cushioning material mounted on said pin, and resilient means positioned between and providing a yieldable separator for said plates adapted to hold the supporting plate against rotation unless actuated by manual rotation of the shaft.

2. In an electric switch mechanism, a wall plate; a shaft rotatably mounted on the wall plate, a

liquid flow switch, a plate iixedly mounted on 5 said shaft in proximity to the wall plate and providing a support for said switch, said supporting member providing an arcuate slot, a pin projecting from said wall plate into said slot to provide a stop limiting the oscillation of said sup- 10 friction means comprising a relatively thick split 15 ring having its endsoppositely inclined positioned between and providing a yieldable separator, said plates adapted to hold the. supporting plate against rotation unless actuated by manual rotation of the shaft.

LANDON C. GEORGE. 

